Stilbite with Calcite from Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

This mineral specimen comes from the Jalgaon district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Pale stilbite crystals occur together with calcite on a crystallized matrix.

The stilbite forms bladed to tufted aggregates with a white to cream-colored appearance. The crystal surfaces show a pearly to silky luster. Pale calcite crystals occur between the stilbite aggregates and complement the three-dimensional mineral association. With a length of 5.5 cm, the piece belongs to the small cabinet specimen size category.

Stilbite and Calcite from the Deccan Traps

The Jalgaon district is one of India’s well-known source regions for zeolites and other secondary minerals. The area lies within the Deccan Traps, whose extensive basaltic lava sequences contain numerous former gas bubbles and cavities.

After the basalts had solidified, mineral-bearing fluids circulated through fractures and cavities. This process formed minerals including stilbite, calcite, apophyllite, heulandite, scolecite, and quartz. Stilbite and calcite may occur together within the same cavities.

The combination of bladed stilbite, pale calcite, and documented provenance makes this piece a characteristic mineral specimen from the Deccan Traps of Maharashtra.